Past Life
by WarricksBabyGirl
Summary: What happens when Calleigh's past catches up with her and she is forced to face the truth?
1. Chapter 1

Rating: MA

Pairing: Eric/Calleigh

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't own them, wish I did, but alas I don't so don't sue.

Author's Note: This fic came from a dream I had. This story is my idea, but it's been beautifully interpreted for me by thisyearslove.

Past Life 

**Chapter One**

In her line of work, she saw first hand the horrific  
acts of humanity and the awful ways the citizens of  
Miami hurt one another. Every crime scene dug into the  
heart a little bit. The training and experience a CSI  
receives could never fully alienate the emotion from  
the hard science of the job, especially when it gets  
personal.

It wouldn't be the first time a suspect crossed the  
line with a law enforcement officer. Carrying a gun  
and a badge might be a shield but invincible armour  
it was not. Regrettably, it wasn't the first time she  
felt threatened at a crime scene. Just last spring, a  
man she once shared a bed with held a gun to her head,  
her life flashing before her eyes and her heart  
pounding as she closed her eyes as she awaited the  
familiar BANG she heard a hundred times a day. After  
she witnessed his suicide, she spent months trying to  
understand it. Her psychiatrist urged her to go back  
to the ballistics lab. Instead, she left the  
psychiatrist, knowing it was still too soon.

As she pulled her jacket on carefully, Calleigh  
winced at the pain in her side. Horatio advised her to  
stay at the hospital overnight but she swore to  
herself she would never be an overnight patient again  
at the hospital if she could help it.

She made her way through the emergency room she  
blinked at the harsh lights of the hospital. Being at  
the ER as a patient was not the same as being at the  
ER as a CSI. Being a patient opened files, asked  
questions and initiated conversations in hushed tones.  
Those who knew her wouldn't know it but her long  
medical history was filled with broken bones, hairline  
fractures and doctors and nurses giving her  
sympathetic but knowing looks.

The butterfly bandage on her cheek felt like a sign  
that said "victim" and she fought every urge she had  
not to pull it off. Her ribcage was wrapped and her  
doctor instructed her not to move if she could help  
it. Her broken ribs would heal and the bruises on her  
back would fade but a youth spent fighting for her  
life would never disappear.

The rain had started again and a steady downpour had  
taken over. Calleigh found a cab quickly to take her  
to her destination. She sat gingerly in the back seat  
as she watched the lights flash outside her window on  
her way through the wet city. It wasn't long before  
she reached her destination and paid the cab driver.

She stood outside the condominium for five minutes,  
debating what she wanted to do. The hospital scrubs  
Horatio rounded up for her were hardly her size but he  
insisted on taking her clothes to process tomorrow.

It was now or never and she walked up the steps and  
knocked on the door. She could hear the television and  
the remote drop to the ground and footsteps shuffled  
to the door.

Eric opened the door, wearing sweatpants and a tight  
undershirt. He looked sleepy but smiled at seeing his  
friend. He took in her appearance, the bandaged on her  
cheek and her frown, and his face became wrought with  
worry.

"What happened?" he asked pushing the door open and  
taking a step toward her.

Soaked and upset, Calleigh broke down. The tears  
welled up inside her and she let out a shaky breath.  
"Can I come in?"


	2. Chapter 2

Rating: MA

Pairing: Eric/Calleigh

DisclaimerNot mine, don't own them, wish I did, but alas I don't so don't sue.

Author's NoteThis fic came from a dream I had. This story is my idea, but it's been beautifully interpreted for me by thisyearslove.

Past Life 

**Chapter Two**

Calleigh waited on Eric's couch with a blanket around  
her shoulders and a hot mug of tea between her cool  
fingers. From her place in the living room, she could  
hear Eric on the phone with their boss. He sounded  
livid but was attempting to keep his voice low for  
Calleigh's sake.

Looking around Eric's apartment, she noted the potted  
spider plant she had given him was still thriving in  
its place on the windowsill.

Officer Matthews, who cleared the building, was  
currently searching for her assailant and Eric was on  
the phone with Horatio. She was thankful it was so  
late and Eric would have to wait to find the officers  
who allowed the suspect to escape. A cool-down period  
was definitely in order.

Processing the warehouse was supposed to be a simple  
in and out task. Before leaving to the scene, she  
smiled over her shoulder at Eric and told him she'd be  
finished in time to help him with his ballistics  
evidence. She told him to stop worrying and they'd  
process what he found together because he didn't trust  
Markham, who was working in the ballistics lab.

Calleigh felt small and foolish, sitting on Eric's  
couch. She felt like suddenly her secret was out and  
everyone would know in the lab by morning.

Eric walked into the living room and sat gingerly on  
the couch, close enough to her that she could smell  
his faded cologne and feel the warmth from his body  
but not touching her.

"I just got off the phone with H," Eric told her and  
she closed her eyes. Eric touched her arm but she  
avoided his gaze. "Do you want to tell me what really  
happened and why you're in scrubs?"

"What did he say?" she asked, staring into her tea. 

Eric let out a breath. "He told me to talk to you  
about it."

Calleigh nodded. "I don't know, I was in the  
warehouse and suddenly I was down on the floor."

"Did he take your weapon?" Eric asked.

Calleigh held back her tears and nodded. 

"Were you scared?" he asked.

She nodded again as a single tear ran down her cheek.  
"Yes."

"It's okay," he whispered as he moved closer and  
rubbed her arm soothingly.

Calleigh didn't flinch from him as he pulled her  
closer and wrapped his arms softly around her. It had  
been so long since a man had held her in this way and  
she felt truly safe. The security of being with him  
allowed her to finally release the tears she had been  
holding in and she let out a sob.

Eric couldn't believe what he was witnessing but knew  
his friend well enough to know she wouldn't show up at  
his apartment if there wasn't something deeper rooted  
in why she was afraid. 

Memories of what happened were not from a  
first-person point of view. She could see herself  
waiting outside the warehouse for an officer to escort  
her. She leaned against the Hummer and looked around  
the darkened alley. Lights from the squad car  
illuminated the windows and cement walls of the  
surrounding buildings.

With an increase in their case load, Calleigh was the  
only CSI who was called out to the scene. Horatio and  
Ryan were working on a hit and run of a young couple  
on vacation. They were without any possible leads. At  
a nearby motel, Eric was processing a room where an  
elderly man was stabbed and lying in bed at the ICU.

"Miss Duquesne," Officer Matthews called, motioning  
with two fingers to approach him.  
"We've cleared the building. You can head up the  
stairs to the office now."

Calleigh forced a smile and walked past the young  
officer. "Thanks. Who found the body?"

"Homeless guy, local to the area, Pete. He was  
looking for a warm place to sleep when he stumbled  
across the DB," he replied. "We took him to lock up to  
take his statement and he'll be in for the night to  
dry out."

"Did you find any ID?" she asked and the officer  
shook his head.

The sky cracked and a boom of thunder soon followed.  
Calleigh and Officer Matthews looked up to the sky and  
he frowned.

"So much for hot Miami summer," he grumbled.

"We're a coastal city," Calleigh said with  
reassurance. "You can be grateful you never need snow  
boots."

Officer Matthews laughed. "I came to Florida for the  
sun!"

"Not at night," she said with a smile.

"I'll be right out here," he said, pointing to his  
place at the door. "I cleared a path and marked the  
footprints of Pete, my partner and myself. If you need  
anything just holler. Medical Examiner will be out to  
collect the body in a few hours."

Calleigh took out her flashlight and walked slowly  
into the building. There was little disturbance as she  
walked toward the office but photographed everything  
to be sure. As she made her way to the back office she  
found the body of their John Doe.

Kneeling down to a broken bottle, Calleigh  
photographed its location. The light from the flash  
illuminated the interior of the office and she looked  
over her shoulder from her place on the ground.  
Calleigh set her camera on top of her open kit and  
with her flashlight in hand; she approached the  
partition that divided the office, walking carefully  
around the body.

As she rounded the corner, Calleigh was knocked into  
the wall by a blow to her face. The back of her head  
made contact with the wall and she cried out, dropping  
her flashlight. The small silver tool rolled across  
the dusty floor, pointing its light to the door. Her  
ID fell out of her pocket and without thinking, she  
moved for her gun. A fist made contact with her jaw  
before she could pull it out of its holster and she  
fell to the ground. 

Calleigh tried to push herself off the ground but was  
forced down by a foot to her back. Clawing at the  
ground, she cried out as she was crushed against the  
ground.

"Stay down, bitch!" he grumbled and took her gun and  
ID. He leaned down and put the gun to her temple. The  
cold metal pressed against her skin and he let out a  
throaty laugh. She could feel the bile rising in her  
throat and closed her eyes. "You keep this beauty  
loaded?" 

A small bag dropped from the canvas coat her  
assailant wore and she quickly grabbed it before he  
noticed. She received a brutal kick to her ribs and  
Calleigh curled up on the ground, clutching her  
stomach and turning away from her assailant. She was  
kicked once more in her legs before he ran out of the  
office, leaving the woman alone, crying in pain.

Moving carefully, she pulled her cell phone from her  
coat pocket. She pressed send twice, calling back the  
last person she spoke to.

"Caine," replied the voice of her boss.

"Horatio," she managed. "I need help."

At the location of the hit and run, Horatio started  
running toward his car. "Calleigh! Where are you?"

"I..I...I..I'm at my scene," she stuttered, holding  
back her tears. "I was knocked down."

Two paramedics walked onto the scene five minutes  
later and found Calleigh in the same position the  
assailant left her in.

"Okay, you're okay," one said as he helped her up.

Her body shook as they put her on a stretcher and she  
did her best to keep her eyes shut. If she didn't open  
them, she wouldn't have anything to remember. If she  
didn't see anything, it didn't happen.


	3. Chapter 3

Rating: MA

Pairing: Eric/Calleigh

DisclaimerNot mine, don't own them, wish I did, but alas I don't so don't sue.

Author's NoteThis fic came from a dream I had. This story is my idea, but it's been beautifully interpreted for me by thisyearslove.

**Past Life:**

**Chapter Three**

Eric insisted she stay with him until they caught the  
man who hurt her. Due to the late hour, she stayed the  
night with what she had with her. He assured her she  
would be able to stop at home in the morning before  
work but the most important thing was rest.

It was a side of him she had yet to witness and it  
broke her heart something like this had to happen for  
them to move past Tim Speedle's death. After he died,  
it was like Eric was holding himself responsible,  
behaving recklessly and Calleigh pulled away from him.  
His behavior scared her. He scared her and she felt  
she hardly knew him anymore.

However that evening, as she told the cabbie her  
destination, she felt he would be the only one she  
could go to. After all they had been through together  
and all they had seen in the last four years, he would  
be the only one she could stand to be near her.

Eric helped Calleigh from the couch to his bathroom  
where a hot bath was waiting for her. With his arm  
gingerly around her waist she tried to hide the smile  
that was playing on her lips.

"Are you sure I'm not putting you out?" she asked as  
he guided her down the hall.

Eric shook his head and gave her a smile that still  
made her heart beat a little faster no matter how many  
times she told herself they were just friends.

"I've got too much space here," he said. "It will be  
nice to have some company."

Calleigh looked at him like she knew he had company  
all the time and Eric caught her expression.

"Don't look at me like that," he said with a laugh.  
"You're giving me an excuse to buy groceries."

"Eric," she laughed as she stood at the doorway.  
"Don't tell me that. It makes me worry you're drinking  
too much of that cafe Cubano you like and eating  
take-out."

"I do drink too much of that cafe Cubano I like and  
eat a lot of take-out," he said quietly.

With a small smile she closed the bathroom door,  
leaving it slightly ajar, just in case. It wasn't easy  
but she undressed and slipped into the hot water. The  
feeling of the liquid around her aching muscles caused  
her to let out a moan and Eric stopped from his place  
in the hall.

He had been with enough women to know that wasn't a  
moan of pain and he blushed, not sure if he was  
supposed to hear that or not. The devil on his  
shoulder told him to turn back.

"How's the bath?" he called from the other side of  
the door. He caught a glimpse of Calleigh's pink  
skin through the small space between the door and the  
doorway and he looked away, knowing she was vulnerable  
and didn't need a man ogling her.

"Good," she said quietly. "Really good."

He quickly found a pair of boxer shorts, a pair of  
socks and a T-shirt for her to wear, knowing she  
couldn't sleep in the hospital scrubs. He slid the  
clothes into the bathroom, keeping his eyes closed and  
she thanked him with a smile. Eric's bathtub was so  
deep, he wouldn't have seen more than the tops of her  
shoulders, her neck and face and they both knew that.  
Yet Eric also knew she would appreciate the sentiment  
and he did.

After she emerged from the bathroom, fresh faced and  
swimming in his clothes, Eric wished he had a camera  
to capture the sight. She looked like a college  
freshman, not a woman who had seen it all in the line  
of duty.

"Are you hungry?" he asked and she nodded. Calleigh insisted they eat a home cooked meal and  
sent him to the living room so she could cook. When he  
reminded her of her injured state, they compromised he  
would cook everything under her instruction. During dinner they spoke mostly about Eric's family  
and his father's approaching birthday. He knew that  
evening would be too soon to discuss what had happened  
but hoped she would tell him the following night. She  
hoped she would be able to bring herself to tell him  
as well. The idea of letting anyone else in on that  
part of her life terrified her. Instead, they talked  
about anything else they could and Calleigh was  
grateful for it.

Eric woke her from her half-sleep state on the couch  
and helped her to bed. As they walked down his hall  
she felt safe and happy she had come to his apartment.  
It was not in her nature to allow her co-workers to  
see her at a vulnerable state but at that moment, she  
had no other choice. At that moment, being vulnerable  
and being seen less than she was by Eric was the  
furthest thing from her mind. He had made her safe  
again and she loved him for that.

As Eric tucked the sheets next to her, she grabbed  
the edge of his T-shirt.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey. Do you mind..." she started and Eric sat down  
on the bed. "Do you mind staying with me for a bit?"

Eric nodded and moved to the other side of the bed to  
lie next to her. He wrapped one strong arm around her  
body and the other under her neck to hold her close to  
him. It wouldn't be long before she was asleep and  
Eric was extracting himself from the bed.

He kissed her forehead and smoothed her hair back  
from her forehead. With all the trauma she had been  
through that evening and the bandage on her face  
couldn't distract from her innocent beauty.

It was clear his case would be put on the backburner to help catch  
the man who assaulted her if only to catch someone who  
would hit a woman. As the youngest of three sisters,  
Eric was the kind of man who wouldn't tolerate men who  
hit a woman, police officer or not. He was determined  
and that was not something a criminal wanted to be on  
the other side of.


End file.
